The Hall of Fame concert was held on Friday, May 8, 2026.
The Hall of Fame is a concert held every year at the High School where the choir, band, and orchestras all combine after each group’s individual concert, to play pieces and to honor inductees into the Stroudsburg Music Department Hall of Fame.
With this being my final Hall of Fame and final high school concert, I have been able to recently reflect on the gifts of the music department.
The inductees this year were Mrs. Ashley Bomboy and Mrs. Danielle Molan. Both of whom were Stroudsburg music students. Mrs. Bomboy teaches band at the middle school.
The choir came first, performing many pieces which reflected Mrs. Lee’s wonderful career at Stroudsburg High School as the choir director. Pieces like “Choose Love,” “Crowded Table,” and “I Will Sing” were pieces that, to me, felt like Mrs. Lee would always be a part of the wonderful music department at Stroudsburg. She has created a loving, welcoming, and musical environment for all of her students.
The song “It’s Time To Go” is a piece that the seniors perform every year with the underclassmen accompanying on the chorus. The song talks about the memories made during high school and how we will all find our ways back together, even though it’s time to go. It is the song every year that brings tears to the performers’ and the audience’s eyes.
Next went the Orchestra. Their pieces were “Wizard of Oz,” “Adoration,” and “Swamp Thang.” ” The Wizard of Oz” was a piece that included a medley of songs from the movie. The piece itself was a rise through the film with twist(er)s and turns and exciting musical elements. “Adoration” is a slower piece. Finally, “Swamp Thang” is a jazzy, more upbeat song that has a good musicality contrast for dynamics, tempos, and sounds.
Finally, with the individual performances, the band finished off strong. The band performed only two pieces. The first being “A Song for Lindsay.” This song is not well known by many people, but it shows the beautiful dynamic contrast between all of the instruments in the band. It was a piece for musicianship rather than the pleasure of the audience. It featured Jonas Ballantyne on piano, Julia Nowak on French horn, and Crista Kopec on flute.
The band finished off with “Disney at the Movies.” This piece was for the audience to know, and maybe for the seniors who wanted one last childhood memory with the band. Spanning over eight minutes, this song featured music from “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin,” “The Little Mermaid,” and more.
Then came the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Each inductee provided a speech to reflect on past memories and experiences, and to encourage the current students of Stroudsburg to stick with music.
Finally, the highlight of the night and one of the last memories for seniors had begun. The combined portion of the concert featured an annual tradition of having a senior student compose a piece of music for everyone to perform. This year, Liam Munian composed a piece called “The Tyger,” using words from the poem and composing his own musical accompaniment for the orchestra, band, and chorus.
Then, a piece called “Controlled Burn” was conducted by Mrs. Lee, as it would be her last as our Stroudsburg High School choir director. The song was about looking back at old memories to help make room for new ones in the future.
Finally, “Andrew Lloyd Webber: A Musical Celebration” was conducted by Mr. Cassady. Webber is a composer who wrote many Broadway shows such as “Phantom of the Opera,” “Cats,” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” It was a well-known audience favorite piece. It was a grand ending to the 2026 Hall of Fame concert.
We wish Mrs. Lee a wonderful retirement filled with well-deserved rest. We thank her for her incredible dedication to the Stroudsurg Music Department and all the students she has taught. She will continue to do great things in retirement, such as starting a community choir and more! Thank you, Mrs. Lee!
Keep up with concert dates for the 2026-2027 school year by following updates from the Stroudsburg Area Music Supporters (SAMS).